Casey Kasem's Kids Sue His Widow Over His Death

Three of radio personality Casey Kasem's children and his brother sued his widow on Wednesday, claiming her actions led to his death in 2014. The wrongful death lawsuit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court accuses Jean Kasem of elder abuse and inflicting emotional distress on Kasem's children from a previous marriage by restricting access to their father before his death. "Casey's early death occurred as a direct and proximate result of Jean's neglect and physical abuse of Casey," the lawsuit states. The longtime "American Top 40" host had a form of dementia and a severe bedsore when he died at age 82. Kerri, Julie, and Michael Kasem are joined in the lawsuit by their uncle, Mouner. The lawsuit seeks more than $250,000, although a jury would have to decide any damage award.

Prosecutors earlier this year declined to charge Jean Kasem with elder abuse, a decision that Kerri Kasem said Wednesday led to her family filing the civil case. The 28-page lawsuit gives a detailed account of Kasem's final days, including the extent of his ailments and the family infighting swirling around him (at one point, Jean reportedly threw raw hamburger meat at Kerri). It states that in the months before Casey Kasem's death, his wife repeatedly left him in various hospitals for days despite the fact he was ready to be discharged. The lawsuit also details numerous confrontations about Kasem's care, and it states Jean Kasem transported his body to Norway where it was buried in an unmarked grave. That was despite Casey Kasem's wishes to be buried at a cemetery in Los Angeles, the lawsuit states. Read more on the lawsuit here. (More Casey Kasem stories.)